You have booked your kayak tour in Golfo Aranci. You are excited. You already visualise the dolphins leaping beside you, the crystal clear water, the aperitif on the beach.
Then comes the crucial moment: what the hell do I put in my backpack?
If you make a mistake, anything can happen:
- ❌ The sun cream you forgot = lobster sunburn
- ❌ The phone without a waterproof case = goodbye photos and goodbye phone
- ❌ A change of clothes forgotten at the hotel = return to a wet swimming costume and a car full of salt spray
- ❌ Sunglasses without a string = Hello glasses, welcome to the bottom of the sea
In short, the risk is find yourself in your underwear (literally or metaphorically).
Here is the definitive checklist not to miss a beat. We built it over 10 years of touring with KayakingMoresca, listening to our guests' mistakes (and our own).
The Golden Rule: The Right Backpack ????
First of all: do not carry handbags, straw bags, canvas backpacks or suitcases. They have to be on the ground. You need one small and possibly waterproof backpack, or a dry bag (which we often provide, but ask first).
Our advice: Carry a small backpack and put everything in a waterproof bag inside. Even if the backpack gets wet, your dry clothes stay dry.
The Checklist: What to Put Absolutely
1. Documents and Money (Yes, but Managed Well) ????
| What | Why | Attention |
|---|---|---|
| Licence or document | Not needed for the kayak, but if you want to leave something in storage or need | Put it in a waterproof bag or leave it in the hotel |
| Cash / card | For the aperitif? No, it is included. But for an ice cream afterwards, yes | Little cash, just for emergencies |
| Smartphone | For photos (if you have a waterproof case) or for emergencies | Never without a case! |
The rule: If you don't have a waterproof case, leave your phone at the hotel. Really. We'll take the pictures and give them to you. Better a souvenir than a broken phone.
2. Clothing: The “Right” Stratagem ????
| What | Why | Council |
|---|---|---|
| Swimwear | Obviously | Already worn under clothes |
| T-shirt | To protect you from the sun | Better technical shirt or anti-UV (the cotton one gets heavy when wet) |
| Cap / bandana | Burning sun overhead | With visor, and with lace if possible (the wind is treacherous) |
| Sunglasses | The reflection on the water dazzles | Never without lace (you will lose them) |
| Cliff shoes | To enter the water, to walk on the rocks, not to cut yourself | Flip-flops no (they fly off). Better rock shoes or sandals with closure |
| Changing clothes | After the tour, you don't want to drive or return to your hotel wet | Put it in the dry bag and leave it in the car or on the beach |
The most common mistake: Bring a nice cotton T-shirt that when it gets wet weighs 5 kg and does not dry any more. Choose the technician, even if it is less cool.
3. Solar Protection: The Most Important Chapter
The sun in Sardinia is beautiful. But also naughty. And on the water it reflects and strikes from all sides.
| What | Why | Council |
|---|---|---|
| Sun cream 50+ | Not to look like a lobster | Waterproof and apply it 20 minutes before to leave |
| Aftersun | For afterwards, soothing | Leave it in the car, it is not needed during |
| Lip stick with protection | Lips burn and nobody thinks about it | Lip inflammation = breakage |
| Anti-UV T-shirt | Additional physical protection | If you are very fair-skinned, it is a lifesaver |
The rule: Apply it twicehalf an hour before leaving, and just before entering the water. Then reapply it after the aperitif if you stay in the sun.
4. Water and Snacks: Enhanced Hydration
| What | Why | Council |
|---|---|---|
| Water bottle | You dehydrate without realising it | At least 1 litre per person. The aperitif is after the paddle, not during |
| Energy snacks | Bars, dried fruit, something small | If your blood sugar drops, you don't row well |
Attention: No glass! If it falls and breaks in a kayak, there's trouble.
5. Useful Accessories (But Not Obligatory)
| What | Why | Council |
|---|---|---|
| Waterproof phone case | Taking photos without drowning the iPhone | Try it first: put a handkerchief inside and close it tightly |
| GoPro Camera | If you have it, bring it | With floating rod, otherwise you lose it |
| Towel | To dry afterwards | The microfibre one is small and dries quickly |
| Plastic bag | For wet stuff | Do not mix wet and dry clothes |
What NOT to Absolutely Bring ????
This list is just as important as the previous one.
| What | Why not |
|---|---|
| Large terrycloth towel | Weighs 10 kg when wet, no longer dries, takes up half a rucksack |
| Non-waterproof bags | Anything that is not waterproof will get wet. Trust me. |
| Jewellery / valuables | If they fall into the sea, goodbye. Leave them at the hotel. |
| Flip-flops | They fly away into the water and do not protect the rocks |
| Food in glass | If it falls and breaks, cuts for everyone |
| Parasol / bulky beach equipment | No need during the tour, leave it in the car |
| Too many expectations (about dolphins) | OK, that's a joke. But yes, dolphins are wild animals. We do the 95%, but it's not a circus. |
The Printable Checklist (Save it!)
Here is the pocket version. Save this mental image or copy it to your phone.
✅ BEFORE LEAVING HOME
- Costume already worn
- Sun cream 50+ applied (20 minutes before)
- Documents in hotel or watertight bag
- Phone in waterproof case (tested!)
✅ IN THE BACKPACK (DRY BAG)
- Spare T-shirt (best technical)
- Microfibre towel
- Full water bottle (1L each)
- Snacks (bars, dried fruit)
- Cap with lace
- Sunglasses with lace
- Sun cream (for reapplication)
- Wet bag
✅ FOOTNOTE
- Rock shoes / sandals with closure
- Flip-flops no (except for later, at the beach)
✅ BY CAR (FOR LATER)
- Complete change of dry clothes
- Aftersun
- Larger towel (for the final shower)
- Comfortable slippers
What we provide at KayakingMoresca
To reassure you, here's what you must not bring because we take care of it:
- ✅ Kayak (obviously) and paddle
- ✅ Life jacket (mandatory, all sizes)
- ✅ Waterproof bag for your stuff (if needed)
- ✅ Instructor/guide (which saves you if you make a mistake)
- ✅ Water and aperitif (after paddling)
- ✅ Tour photos (we'll send them to you so you don't risk the phone)
So you focus on having fun, paddling and looking for dolphins. We take care of the equipment.
Conclusion: Preparation is half the adventure
A kayak tour is a fantastic experience. But like all good things, if you prepare well, it is even better.
Follow the checklist, don't forget your eyeglass string, and come to us with the desire to amaze.
Dolphins are waiting for you. And also the aperitif on the beach.
???? Book your tour now with KayakingMoresca and come prepared (thanks to this guide) for the perfect adventure.
KayakingMoresca - Kayak tours for dolphin spotting in Golfo Aranci. Since 2015, we've been providing thrills. And if you forget something, we've got you covered.
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